title: High levels of circulating CD34+/VEGFR3+ lymphatic/vascular endothelial progenitor cells is correlated with lymph node metastasis in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lymph node metastasis is one of the predictive factors associated with poor prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer. To clarify the role of CD34 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3-positive (CD34+/VEGFR3+) lymphatic/vascular endothelial progenitor cells (LVEPC) in patients with lymph node metastasis and epithelial ovarian cancer progression, the levels of circulating CD34+/VEGFR3+ LVEPC in epithelial ovarian cancer patients were detected. We also tested the plasma protein levels of VEGF and stromal cell-derived factor to find out their possible relationships with lymph node metastasis in our epithelial ovarian cancer cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood samples were collected from 54 patients diagnosed as epithelial ovarian cancer, and 31 normal samples as control. The circulating levels of LVEPC were carried out by flow cytometry, and blood protein levels of biomarkers were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The level of circulating LVEPC was significantly higher in patients with ovarian cancer compared with that of healthy controls. There was also a statistically significant correlation between LVEPC levels and surgical staging of epithelial ovarian cancer (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The circulating levels of bone marrow-derived LVEPC are significantly increased in epithelial ovarian cancer patients and these levels correlate with lymph node metastasis too.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Huiling
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Huicheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zhiqing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D054503:Lymphoid Progenitor Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D015415:Biomarkers; C581309:FLT4 protein, human; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3